Model for Hexad player type-based gamified physics course for enhancing student engagement and performance

• Main Author: Amado, Coleen M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Gamification; Physics—Study and teaching; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdd_scied/19; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdd_scied/article/1018/viewcontent/Model_for_Hexad_player_type_based_gamified_physics_course_for_enh_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Student engagement has been consistently identified as a predictor of academic achievement, making it a critical factor in enhancing performance. With the sudden switch to online learning in response to the pandemic, student engagement became a challenge to educational institutions. To address this issue, educators and researchers have been exploring various ways to enhance student engagement, and one promising approach is gamification. However, research on the use of gamification in classrooms yielded mixed results which is attributed to the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach in designing gamified systems. This suggests a need for tailoring gamified systems to the needs and preferences of individual learners. To contribute to the existing body of literature on adaptive gamified systems, this study was aimed at developing a model for Hexad player type-based (HPTB) gamified physics course for enhancing student engagement and performance grounded on Self-determination Theory, Goal-setting Theory, and the Gamification User Type Hexad Framework. The study employed a mixed method quasi-experimental research to investigate the effects of the HPTB gamified physics course on the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement of students and their performance in terms of conceptual understanding and problem-solving. The students’ perceptions on the game elements implemented and their overall experience after immersing in the gamified course were also examined. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using researcher-developed and adapted survey instruments, semi-structured interviews, reflection journals, and various assessment tasks. The analysis of the data on engagement revealed a significant increase in the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement of all Hexad player types after the implementation of the HPTB gamified course. The students have exhibited concentration, time on task, and work involvement, experienced positive emotions and a sense of belongingness, formed positive relationships, exerted greater effort, demonstrated persistence, and utilized learning and self-regulation strategies while engaging in the gamified course. On the other hand, the analysis of the data on performance revealed that all Hexad player types generally performed well in the HPTB gamified course. They reported that the gamified course helped them remember the concepts and enhance their problem-solving skills. However, it was found that the students did better on the conceptual than the problem-solving parts of the assessment tasks. Lastly, all Hexad player types generally had positive perceptions about the game elements implemented and reported positive experiences after immersing in the HPTB gamified physics course. The study provides strong evidence that the HPTB gamified physics course was effective in enhancing students' engagement and performance. Further studies to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model by implementing it in different contexts and courses and across various student populations are recommended. Keywords: gamification, adaptive gamification, tailored gamification, gamified physics, Hexad player type, student engagement, performance, physics education